SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEAVE

Diane's pov

Present Day

"...and that concludes the overview of the project."

The applause startled me back to reality.

I blinked.

Somehow, the meeting had continued without me.

Without my mind.

Without my attention.

My eyes drifted across the conference room.

Straight to him.

Abe Carter.

He was listening attentively to one of the executives, occasionally jotting down notes in the leather notebook resting before him.

If someone had asked me whether he'd changed...

I wouldn't have known how to answer.

He looked older.

More refined.

The sharp edges of the cocky university student had softened into the confidence of a man who had spent years climbing the corporate ladder.

Yet there was something else.

Something I couldn't quite place.

His smile wasn't as effortless as I remembered.

His eyes carried a quiet heaviness.

Almost...

Regret.

"Diane?"

Sarah's voice snapped me back.

"Hm?"

"You've been staring into space for the last ten minutes."

"I have?"

Zoey leaned across the table.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

Both of them looked unconvinced.

Sarah lowered her voice.

"You went pale the moment those Horizon people walked in."

"I noticed too," Zoey added.

"Did something happen?"

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

Sarah knew it.

I knew it.

But thankfully, the room became quiet once more.

Richard Lawson stepped back to the center of the room.

"Now that introductions are complete, let's discuss team structure."

He picked up a tablet.

"Our goal is to combine the strengths of both companies."

Slides changed behind him.

Departments.

Timelines.

Responsibilities.

I tried to focus.

I really did.

But every now and then...

I caught Abe looking in my direction.

Not openly.

Never long enough for anyone else to notice.

Just...

Brief glances.

As if he wanted to say something.

As if he was trying to convince himself not to.

---

Across the room...

Abe looked away the moment our eyes met.

Good.

Whatever this project was...

It didn't change anything.

The past belonged exactly where it was.

In the past.

Or at least...

That was what I kept telling myself.

---

Richard smiled.

"To ensure effective communication between both organizations, we've selected two lead coordinators."

My stomach tightened.

Please don't.

Please.

"The first project lead from Horizon Dynamics..."

He glanced at his tablet.

"...Mr. Abe Carter."

Polite applause filled the room.

I stared at the table.

No.

No, no, no.

Richard continued.

"And representing Brookstone Consulting..."

A pause.

"...Ms. Diane Brooks."

The applause sounded distant.

Almost muffled.

I slowly lifted my head.

Across the room...

Abe was already looking at me.

Not smiling.

Not celebrating.

Just...

Looking.

As if he understood exactly what this meant.

---

The meeting ended fifteen minutes later.

People stood, exchanged business cards and introduced themselves.

Sarah looped her arm through mine.

"So..."

She smiled.

"Ready for the biggest project of your career?"

"I guess."

"You don't sound excited."

"I'll get there."

Zoey was already chatting with members of the Horizon team.

Typical.

She could make friends anywhere.

"I'm grabbing coffee before we head back upstairs," Sarah said.

"You coming?"

"I'll catch up."

"You sure?"

I nodded.

"I just need a minute."

She squeezed my shoulder before walking away.

The conference room gradually emptied.

I gathered my notebook and slid it into my bag.

Then...

"Diane."

The voice stopped me cold.

Slowly...

I turned around.

Abe stood a few feet away.

Hands tucked into his pockets.

Keeping a respectful distance.

For a long moment...

Neither of us spoke.

Finally...

"You look..."

He stopped himself.

Then smiled sadly.

"You look well."

"So do you."

The words felt automatic.

Like something polite strangers said.

Not two people who had once planned a future together.

"I didn't know you'd be on this project," he admitted.

"I didn't know either."

Silence.

"I've thought about this moment..."

He exhaled quietly.

"...more times than I'd like to admit."

I looked away.

"I haven't."

It was a lie.

A terrible one.

He gave the smallest nod.

"I figured."

Another silence settled between us.

It wasn't angry.

It wasn't awkward.

It was simply...

Heavy.

Years of memories hanging between two people who no longer knew how to speak to each other.

"I won't make this difficult," he said.

"We're here to do our jobs."

"That's all."

I nodded.

"I'd appreciate that."

"I mean it."

"I know."

He looked as though he wanted to say something else.

Instead...

He simply stepped aside, giving me room to leave.

"See you at Monday's planning session."

I managed a small nod.

"See you then."

I walked past him.

Every instinct told me not to look back.

So I didn't.

---

The elevator doors closed.

I finally released the breath I'd been holding.

My reflection stared back at me from the mirrored walls.

Calm on the outside.

Anything but calm on the inside.

Seeing Abe again had reopened a door I thought I'd locked years ago.

One I had no intention of walking through again.

My phone vibrated.

Zephyr ❤️

A smile found my lips before I could stop it.

Zephyr: Morning meeting done?

I smiled as I typed.

Me: Finally.

His reply came almost instantly.

«Good. Then you're officially stealing the rest of your weekend for me.»

A quiet laugh escaped me.

Maybe that was exactly what I needed.

Not old memories.

Not unanswered questions.

Just...

Peace.

I slipped my phone back into my bag as the elevator reached my floor.

Outside, the office carried on as if nothing had happened.

Employees hurried between departments.

Phones rang.

Printers hummed.

Life moved forward.

And so would I.

Or at least...

That was the promise I made to myself.

I had no way of knowing...

That keeping it would prove far more difficult than making it.